Time recorder for plural events registration



July 20, 1954 L. w. lMM

TIME RECORDER FOR PLURAL EVENTS REGISTRATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1949 R. 5 m w m 2 VM 0 m n W v. LY W July 20, 1954 Filed June 25, l

L. VV.IN1N1 TIME RECORDER FOR PLURAL EVENTS REGISTRATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LEW/S M lmm BY ATFQRNEVS Patented July 20, 1954 TIME RECORDER FOR PLURAL EVENTS REGISTRATION Lewis W. Imm, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Librascope, Incorporated, Glendale, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 25, 1949, Serial No. 101,315

8 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to recorders and more particularly to recorders of the type in which a stylus is employed to inscribe a record on a chart or record sheet moved relatively to the stylus.

The invention has as a primary object the provision of a simple, compact and efficient recorder capable of recording events occurring over an extended period of time.

Further and more specific objects include the provision of novel means for producing differentiated recordings of multiple events and the improvement and simplification of the mechanical arrangement of recorders generally.

The foregoing, together with additional objects and advantages of the invention are attained, in summary, by employing a common driving means to both move the record with respect to the stylus and to impart to the stylus a different movement with respect to the record so that, in the example shown in the drawings, a spiral record is produced which extends around the circular record sheet any desired number of times. Recording of events occurring within the time span represented by such a spiral is effected by imparting additional movements to the stylus independently of the movement thereof which is synchronized with the movement of the record sheet, so as to cause deviations in the inscribed spiral. Means are provided whereby a plurality of distinguishably different deviations of this kind may be caused, selectively.

In the accompanying drawings disclosing a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a view in frontal elevation with a portion of the casing broken away to expose the stylus arm;

Figure 2 is a view in section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view in section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view in section taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a partial view in section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a detail view of the resetting mechanism;

Figure 7 is a detail view in section of the resetting and other mechanisms taken on the line 1-4 of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a back plate I0 to which are secured, as -by riveting, three spacers in the form of posts l to the opposite ends of which a main plate 12 is secured, as by screws l3.

Journaled in a bushing I4 in the main plate i2 is a spindle l5 and rotatably mounted adjacent one end of the spindle I5 is a chart gear 17 to which there is secured, as by rivets It, a chart plate IS. A collar 20 having a free fit over a hub 2! of the chart gear I! and provided with an aperture 22 through which extends the spindle i5 is adapted to be pressed against a removable chart 23 laid upon the chart plate 19 by a nut 24 threaded upon one end of the spindle is as shown in Figure 5.

This arrangement whereby the collar 20 and nut 24 perform the two functions of retaining a removable chart in fixed relation to the chart plate i3 and of releasably clutching the spindle i5 to the chart gear I! constitutes an important feature of the present invention, as will appear more clearly in connection with the description of the operation of the recorder.

Mounted on the main plate !2 is a conventional time drive device illustrated as a synchronous motor 25 of the kind commonly used to drive electric clocks. The motor pinion 2? extends through an aperture in main plate [2 into mesh with the chart gear IT, driving the same preferably but not necessarily at the rate of one rotation for each 24 hours.

For the purpose of inscribing a record on a chart held on the chart plate l9 as above described, the recorder of the present invention employs a marking device movably mounted with respect to the chart plate. This device comprises a shaft 39 journaled in a bushing 3! in main plate l2 and having secured to one end thereof a rectangular block 32. A stylus arm 33 is recessed at one end to receive the block 32 and is pivotally secured to said block by a pin 34. The stylus arm 33 is normally held in the operating position in which it is shown, by a leaf spring 35 riveted to the arm 33 and having its free end bent into engagement with a corner of the block 32 so as to lightly press the arm 33 toward the chart plate 5 9. However the arm 33 can be easily raised away from the chart plate by manually rocking it about pivot pin 34 against the tension of spring 35. arm 33 a marking device or stylus 31 of any desired type is fixed, as by frictional engagement within a slot 38 in arm 33.

A further important feature of the present invention is the provision of a simple and effective arrangement making possible the recording of data during a plurality of rotations of the Adjacent the free end ofrecord sheet or chart, so that, for instance, events occurring during an entire week may be recorded on a chart driven at the rate of one rotation per day.

For this purpose, the shaft 3B has secured to it, by a pin 30, an actuating arm ll which is adapted to be rocked to cause the stylus arm 33 to move from a position in which the stylus J is adjacent the outer edge of record sheet 23 to positions inwardly thereof. A torsion spring ,2 coiled about bushing 31 has one end projecting into a recess E3 in main plate [2 and its opposite engaged with arm M, as at 44 (Fig. 2) so as to ur e the stylus 3? to its outermost position with respect to the record sheet.

Progressive inward movement of the stylus 3? with respect to record sheet 23 in timed relations ip to the rotation of the sheet by motor 25 is effected by an operating connection in the form of a flexible cable or cord one end of which is secured to an extension in of spindle l5 so as to be he cally wound upon said spindle as the same is rotated by motor 25. From this anchorage the cord passes freely over a pin it fixed in slot of arm ii, so that said pin acts as a sheave for the cord; and the opposite end of the cord #35 is anchored to a li id, as by a screw 52.

Con idering for the moment the connection of the cord to the link 53 as a fixed anchorage, this arrangement is such that as the spindle is is rotated by motor 25, the cord is will be wound the spindles extension il and the arm M will be progressively rocked clockwise as viewed in Figure 4, rocking the arm 33 counterclockwise as ed. in Figure l and moving the stylus 3? inwardly with respect to the record sheet.

imitation of the movement of the stylus in- .vardly and outwardly is effected by a stop device. Essentially this stop device consists of a gear 55 secured to the spindle l5 and provided with a stop 55; said gear meshing with a stop gear 5? re atably mounted on a countershaft 58 fixed in he .nain plate l2, and being provided with a stop pin When the arm All is in its outermost position the stop pins 55 and 59 come into end to end contact as shown in Figure 4, thus preventing further outward movement of the arm, while when the arm 55 reaches the innermost position to which it is desired to cause it to move, the pins 59 come into end to end contact as shown Figure 6, and further winding up of cord 55 on the portion t? of spindle i5 is prevented. The motor 25 is provided with a built in friction slip device to prevent motor stalling under this condition. The ratio of gears 55 and 51 is such that the pins 5% and 58 come into end to end contact only under the described conditions although each gear makes several revolutions between such contacts.

From the description of the structure thus far it will be evident that the operation of the parts described will cause the stylus to inscribe an undeviating spiral line from its starting point adjacent the outer edge of the record sheet to its stopping point inwardly thereof. Events occurring at any points in the period represented by this line are recorded by causing deviations from the line, and a further important feature of the present invention is the novel means provided for effecting such deviation, with or without means for effecting a plurality of distinguishably difierent deviations for the purpose of recording different events or multiples of an identical event.

For the purpose of effecting such deviations a rockable member exemplified by the link is provided to which one end of the cord G5 is anchored. The link 59 is pivotally supported at spaced points by pins and 55 passing through holes in the slotted ends of solenoid armatures S1 and 5%. As shown in Figure 8, the windings ii! and '5! within which the armatures move are connected into normally open control circuits in parallel with the motor 25, so that upon closure of either or both of these control circuits, by switches l2 and 73 either or both of the arnia'tures El, 58 will be shifted leftwardly to either rock the link Eli around one or the other of its pi otal supports or translate it bodily to the left without rocking movement. A pull is thus exerted on the cord G5 which, by rocking the ll slightly inwardly, causes the stylus 37 to deviate from the line initially traced by it and to trace a spiral line oifset inwardly from the initial spiral so long as solenoid energization is maintained. Upon deenergization, spring 52 will move the arm 1i outwardly again and. tracing of the initial spiral will be resumed.

A particular feature of the present invention is the arrangement whereby by the use of only two actuating devices such as i-den ical solenoids it and ii for link 523. three distinguishably different deviations from the initial spiral can be eilected. In order to obtain this effect, the effec tive point of connection between cord link 55 is situated at a point non-equidistant from the pivotal supports and 6B of the link to, as by passing the cord 35 through a hole 75 so situated, although it would be equally efficacious to locate the anchoring screw 52 at such a point.

This arrangement is such that the energization of solenoid 7! alone will shift the effective anchorage point 75 a short distance; energization of solenoid Ill alone will shift the efiective anchorage point 15 a longer distance; and energization of both solenoids at once will shift the effective anchorage point is a still longer distance. Correspondingly differentiate. inward shifts of the stylus 37 will, of course, accompany these movements and will produce three distinguishable deviations from the initial spiral. The total inward movement of stylus 3? eff cted by the energization of both solenoids is preferably less than the inward movement of the "tylus brought about by a complete revolution of sp ile line under any circumstance.

Resetting of the marking device to its outer most starting position is automatic-ally eff ctsupon removal of a chart or record sheet 5 chart plate i9. For this purpose, there is secure-d to the countershaf-t 53 (Figs. 4, 6 and 7) a collar 71 to which is anchored one end of a torsi spring 8. The opposite end or" spring it is bent around the stop pin 59 as indicated at is so that, as soon as the nut 2A is loosened suai ient to permit the spindle 5 to rotate independently of the chart gear H, spring '18 assisted by spring :32 will rotate the spindle P5 to unwind cord #55 from the spindle extension t? and move the marking device to extreme outward position.

The entire mechanism which has been described, except for the switches '52 and $3 with their electrical connections, is preferably enclosed in a casing 89 removably secured to the main plate I2, as by screws 8!, and provided with a transparent window 82 for viewing the record sheet.

In preparing the recorder for operation, screws 8| are loosened sufficiently to permit removal of the casing 89 and nut 2 is then removed from spindle 15. Since this nut together with collar 25 forms a part of the driving connection between the chart gear ll and the spindle l 5, the loosening of nut 2d permits springs 42 and E8 to reset the marking device to its outermost position, in which it is shown in Figure 1. During such resetting the motor 25 may continue to drive the chart gear I? which, being declutched from the spindle i5, does not interfere with the resetting.

Collar to and any record sheet which may be in position on the chart plate 49 are next removed, stylus arm 33 being rocked upwardly about its pivot 34 to facilitate such removal of the sheet, and a new record sheet or chart such as that illustrated at C in Figure 1 is placed in position. Collar 20 and not 2 are then replaced; but before the nut 2A is tightened the record sheet is adjusted by rotating it with respect to chart plate is so that any time indications borne by the record sheet will be correctly aligned with the stylus 3?. The nut 24*. is then tightened to hold the sheet in place on the chart plate is and to reclutch the chart gear 1? to spindle l5, and arm 33 is rocked downwardly about its pivot to engage the stylus El with the new record sheet. The casing so is then replaced. and the recording has commenced.

If thereafter, during the operation of the re corder, the switch i2 be closed the winding ll will be energized and the stylus 3'! will be abruptly moved a short distance inwardly causing a deviation in the inscribed record and the inscribing of a spiral paralleling the original spiral record as long as the switch remains closed. Upon opening of: switch 12, however, the winding ll will be deenergized and the stylus 31 will be abruptly returned to the original spiral path.

If, instead, the switch 53 be closed the winding iii will be energized and the stylus 3'! will be abruptly moved inwardly a greater distance causing a distinguishably different deviation in the inscribed record from that caused by closure of switch ll. Similarly, however, the inscribing of the third possible spiral thus effected will be maintained as long as this switch remains closed and when it is opened the stylus will be abruptly returned to the original spiral path.

If switches i2 and 13 be simultaneously or concurrently closed both winding l! and winding 'iil will be energized and the stylus 3'! will be abruptly moved inwardly a still greater distance than it would be moved as a result of the closure of either switch alone causing a deviation in the inscribed record distinguishably different from that resulting from the closure of either switch alone. Similarly, however, the inscribing of the fourth possible spiral thus effected will he maintained as long as both switches remain closed, and when both are opened the stylus will be abruptly returned to the original spiral path.

It will be evident that if switches '52 and '53 are closed and opened in sequence, shifts into the four possible spiral paths will take place sequentially.

The uses to which recorders of the present invention be applied are manifold, including the recording of watohmans checloins at remote stations at which the switches 72 and I3 may be located, and many others. Of course more or less than the two solenoid control devices it? and H may be employed in various applications and many other adaptations of the re corder to suit it to various applications will occur to those familiar with the recording art. It is intended therefore that the invention shall not be limited by the specific example of an arm bodiment thereof which has been illustrated and described except as required by the lawful interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a recorder having a record sheet holder and a marker associated therewith, the combination of a driving motor, means operable by said motor for moving said holder with respect to said marker, marker actuating means connected to said marker and concurrently operable from said motor to gradually move said marker with respect to said holder in a direction different from the direction of relative movement effected by said holder moving means, the motor operated actuating mechanism for said marker actuating means comprising a mechanical element having an operating connection with said marker actuating means and with said driving motor, and. means for imparting to said marker movement additional to that imparted thereto by said motor, comprising a rockable member and a third operating connection between said mechanical element and said rockable member.

2. In a recorder having a record sheet holder and a marker associated therewith, the comb nation of a driving motor, means operable by 5 id motor for moving said holder with respect to aa marker, marker actuating means connected to said marker and concurrently operable from said motor to gradually move said marker with respect to said holder in a direction different from the direction of relative movement effected by said holder moving means, the motor operated actuating mechanism for said marker actuatmeans comprising a mechanical element an operating connection with said marker ating means and with said driving motor, means comprising a pair of solenoids and. 11'. age between the cores of said solenoids hav an operating connection with said mechai element for imparting to said element diner movements additional to the movement thereto by said motor.

3. In a recorder having a record sheet holder and a marking device movably mounted with respect thereto to inscribe a record on a sheet held thereon; the combination of a driving motor, means operable by said motor for effecting movement of said holder with respect to said device and means operable by said motor for concurrently moving said marking device with respect to said holder in a direction different from the direction. of relative movement effected by said first mentioned means; with means for moving said marking device to cause deviations of differing magnitude in said inscribed line com prising a link pivotally supported at spaced points, an operating connection between said marking device and a point on said link nonequidistant from said spaced points, and means for shifting said pivotal supports whereby movements of different magnitude will be transmitted from said link through said operating connection to said marking device upon shifting of the one or the other of said supports.

4. In a recorder having a record sheet holder and a marking device movably mounted with respect thereto to inscribe a record on a sheet held thereon; the combination of means for efiecting relative movement of said holder and said device to inscribe an undeviating line on such a sheet with means for moving said marking device to cause deviations of differing magnitude in said inscribed line comprising a link pivotally supported at spaced points on electrically shiftable supports, a motion transmitting connection between said marking device and a point on said link non-equidistant from its pivotal connection to said supports, and circuit controls for shifting either or both supports, selectively, to thereby move said point of connection differing distances, whereby triple deviation move ments of differing magnitude can be transmitted from said link to said marking device.

5. In a recorder having a record sheet holder and a marking device movably mounted with respect thereto to inscribe a record on a sheet held thereon; the combination of means for effecting relative movement of said holder and said device to inscribe an undeviating line on such a sheet with means for moving said marking device to cause deviations in said inscribed line comprising an adjustable actuator and a cord connection between said actuator and said first mentioned means including a portion in free engagement with an element of said marking device.

6. In a recorder having a record sheet holder and a marker associated therewith, the combination of a driving motor, means operable by said motor for moving said holder with respect to said marker, marker actuating means eonnected to said marker and concurrently operable from said motor to gradually move said marker with respect to said holder in a direction different from the direction of relative movement effected by said holder moving means, the motor operated actuating mechanism for said marker actuating means comprising a mechanical element having an operating connection with said marker actuating means and with said driving motor, and means for imparting to said marker movement in the same direction as the movement imparted thereto by said motor but additional thereto, comprising a rockable member and a third operating connection between said mechanical element and said rockable member.

7. In a recorder having a record sheet holder and a marker associated therewith, the combination of a driving motor, means operable by said motor for moving said holder with respect to said marker, marker actuating means connected to said marker and concurrently operable from said motor to gradually move said marker with respect to said holder in a direction diiierent from the direction of relative movement eiiected by said holder moving means, the motor operated actuating mechanism for said marker actuating means comprising a mechanical element having an operating connection with said marker and with said driving motor, and means comprising a pair of solenoids and a linkage between the cores of said solenoids having an operating connection with said mechanical element for imparting to said element different movements additional to but in the same direction as the movement imparted thereto by said motor.

8. In a recorder having a rotatable record sheet holding disk, and a marker mounted for oscillatory movement along a path toward and from the axis of rotation of said disk; the combination of a driving motor, means operabie by said motor for rotating said disk, marker actu ating means connected to said marker cuicurrently operable from said motor to g move said marker with respect to said disk along said path; said marker actuating mea .prisa mechanical element having an cper nection with said motor and an operm. connection with said marker, and corn rising a solenoid having an operating connection with said mechanical element for imparting to said element movement additional to the move ment imparted thereto by said motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

